259

711.94/2507

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

[WASHINGTON,] November 27, 1941.

The two Japanese Ambassadors called at their request. The President opened the conversation with
some reference to German international psychology. Ambassador Nomura then said
that they were disappointed about the failure of any agreement regarding a
modus vivendi. The President proceeded
to express the grateful appreciation of himself and of this Government to the
peace element in Japan which has worked hard in support of the movement to
establish a peaceful settlement in the Pacific area. He made it clear that we
were not overlooking for a moment what that element has done and is ready still
to do. The President added that in the United States most people want a
peaceful solution of all matters in the Pacific area. He said that he does not give
up yet although the situation is serious and that fact should be recognized.
He then referred to the conversations since April which have been carried on
here with the Japanese Ambassador in an attempt to deal with the difficulties.
The President added that some of these difficulties at times have the effect of
a cold bath on the United States Government and people, such as the recent
occupation of Indochina by the Japanese and recent movements and utterances of
the Japanese slanting wholly in the direction of conquest by force and ignoring
the whole question

--814--

of a peaceful settlement and the principles underlying it. The President then made
the following points:

We have been very much disappointed that during the course of these very
important conversations Japanese leaders have continued to express opposition
to the fundamental principles of peace and order which constitute the central
spirit of the conversations which we have been carrying on. This attitude on
the part of Japanese leaders has naturally created an atmosphere both in this
country and abroad which has added greatly to the difficulty of making mutually
satisfactory progress in the conversations.

We have been very patient in our dealing with the whole Far Eastern situation.
We are prepared to continue to be patient if Japan's courses of action permit
continuance of such an attitude on our part. We still have hope that there may
be worked out a peaceful settlement in the entire Pacific area of the character
we have been discussing. The temper of public opinion in this country has
become of such a character and the big issues at stake in the world today have
become so sharply outlined that this country cannot bring about any substantial
relaxation in its economic restrictions unless Japan gives this country some
clear manifestation of peaceful intent. If that occurs, we can also take some
steps of a concrete character designed to improve the general situation.

We remain convinced that Japan's own best interests will not be served by
following Hitlerism and courses of aggression, and that Japan's own best
interests lie along the courses which we have outlined in the current
conversations. If, however, Japan should unfortunately decide to follow
Hitlerism and courses of aggression, we are convinced beyond any shadow, of
doubt that Japan will be the ultimate loser.

The President
emphasized that the leaders in Japan had obstructed this whole movement
involved in the conversations here. He said that having been in war for four
years the Japanese people need to have a peace tempo; that war does not help us
nor would it help Japan.

Ambassador Kurusu proceeded to say that he had been here for ten days in an endeavor to
discuss and develop a peaceful arrangement; that the trouble was not with the
fundamentals so much as with their application. Referring to a recent remark of
the President about introducing Japan and China, Kurusu asked to know who
would request the President to introduce these two governments. The President
promptly replied "both sides". He then gave an illustration of his
dealing with some strike conditions when neither side desired to request the
Mediation Board to bring up the matter but were anxious, without saying so, for
the President

--815--

to do so. I referred to the
250,000 carpetbaggers that had gone into north China following the army and
said that they had seized other peoples' rights and properties and located
there as the carpetbaggers had done in the south after the Civil War and added
that they had no rights over there and ought to give up the property they took
from other people and get out.

The President, referring to the efforts of Japan to colonize countries that they conquer,
said that Germany would completely fail because she did not have enough top
people to govern the fifteen or more conquered countries in Europe and that
this would cause Germany to fail in her present movements; that second class
people cannot run fifteen captured countries.

The President further referred to the matter of encirclement that Japan has been alleging. He
pointed out that the Philippines were being encircled by Japan so far as that
is concerned.

I made it clear that unless the opposition to the peace element in control of the Government
should make up its mind definitely to act and talk and move in a peaceful
direction, no conversations could or would get anywhere as has been so clearly
demonstrated; that everyone knows that the Japanese slogans of co-prosperity,
new order in East Asia and a controlling influence in certain areas, are all
terms to express in a camouflaged manner the policy of force and conquest by
Japan and the domination by military agencies of the political, economic,
social and moral affairs of each of the populations conquered; and that so long
as they move in that direction and continue to increase their cultural
relations, military and otherwise with Hitler through such instruments as the
Anti-Comintern Pact and the Tripartite Pact, et cetera, et cetera, there
could not be any real progress made on a peaceful course.